Grow Long Nails

Few things are more sophisticated than a set of well-manicured, long nails. While there isn't any way to speed up nail growth, there are ways to strengthen your nails and prevent them from breaking. By making a combination of nail treatment and lifestyle changes, you'll be on the track to long, glamorous nails in no time.

Steps

Treating Your Nails Differently

  1. Don’t bite your nails. The obvious first step in growing longer nails is to stop biting and peeling them. Biting your nails may be a compulsive habit, but they will prevent your nails from gaining any length at all. If you’re having trouble stopping, consider painting your nails regularly, or mixing habanero pepper extract into a clear nail polish; the flavor of either regular nail polish or the spice in the clear polish will likely deter you from nibbling.
  2. File your nails effectively. The reason most nails don’t grow long, is because they become split and brittle by the time they get to the tips of your fingers. One of the primary causes of this is improper nail filing. The most popular and easiest way to file your nails, is unfortunately, very damaging; filing your nails in a back-and-forth motion splits the ends of the nail, meaning that down the road layers of the nail peel off and leave the nail brittle and prone to breakage. To prevent this, simply file your nails in a single direction only. This might take a bit longer and a little more concentration, but filing in a single direction will prevent the ends from splitting.
  3. Apply nail polish regularly. Although you may not want bright red nails, there are many clear topcoats and strengthening polishes on the market. Applying nail polish regularly helps prevent damage to your nails, should you bump them into something. Rather than your nail being damaged, the polish will chip, effectively protecting your nails. Nail polish also prevents the ends of your nails from splitting or peeling, a major cause of breakage and short-nail syndrome. Try to have nail polish on your nails at all times, be it clear or colored.
  4. Keep your nails and cuticles moisturized. Dry nails are prone to splitting and breaking, and dry cuticles are likely to form unsightly hangnails. An easy remedy to this then, is to keep your nails and cuticles moisturized. While there are many fancy cuticle oils and nail treatments on the market, any lotion or oil will do the trick. Simply dab some lotion or oil onto your nail bed, and massage it onto the nail and surrounding cuticle. You can leave it to soak in over the course of the day, or rinse it off after 5-10 minutes.[1]
    • Olive oil and coconut oil are effective nail/cuticle moisturizers
  5. Fix broken nails quickly. We all get them: a jagged broken edge on the end of a nail, or a corner that split off. While these are not only unattractive, they are also likely to cause the rest of the nail to break, because they form a stress point. Whenever you experience a broken nail, file it down as soon as you’re able. Removing the jagged edge and leveling out the shape of your nail will help keep it from breaking further, even if it does mean you lose a bit of length in the meantime.
    • Keep a nail file or clippers in your purse or at your desk for accidents like this.
  6. Shape your nails so that they are round or oval. As attractive as the squared-off nail edge may appear, the sharp corners of this shape are prone to getting caught on things (particularly clothing), resulting in a broken nail. Therefore, you should file your nails into a more rounded shape. Even gently rounding the corners of a square-shaped nail will be effective; do all you can to limit harsh edges and corners on your nails though. On the flip side, don’t file your nail into a sharp point (such as the stiletto or almond shape), as this will create a weak tip that will snap easily.
  7. Avoid using gel nail polish. Gel polish is a special type of polish that is adhered to the nail using a UV light, and that lasts for 3-4 weeks without chipping. However, gel polish has a bit of a love/hate relationship with long nails. The polish is incredibly sturdy and strong, meaning that while you wear it, your nails are very unlikely to chip or break. However, for the same reason, the only way to get the polish off is to scrape it off with a metal orange stick, or to peel it off (therefore taking a layer of nail with it). In the long run, gel polish does more damage to nails than good, making it a no-go if you’re trying to grow yours out. Stick to regular nail polish, or gel polish copycats that aren’t so difficult to remove.[2]
  8. Avoid polish remover and other chemicals, when possible. As aforementioned, dry nails increase the likelihood of damage. Nail polish remover, although helpful, can be very drying. The same goes for other chemicals, be they cleaning products or perfumes. When possible avoid coming into contact with these chemicals via your nails. At those times when you must use them (like polish remover or acetone), be sure to swipe on a layer of oil or lotion afterwards to moisturize your nails and cuticles again.
  9. Don’t peel off old nail polish. You’re running out the door for a meeting, look down and see chipped polish, leaving only a splotch of color in the center of each nail. While your immediate solution might be to peel this polish off before your hands must be seen in public, don’t! Peeling off polish - regular or gel - peels off the layer of nail underneath it. This thins the nail and makes it more prone to breakage, increasing the likelihood of having short nails. Instead, stick to nail polish remover and a bit of lotion afterwards.

Making Lifestyle Changes

  1. Take a regular biotin supplement. Biotin in a b-complex vitamin that has been linked in studies to stronger nail growth. While taking biotin does not speed up the growth of your nails, it does harden them and prevent breakage. Purchase a biotin supplement from your local health foods store, and take it on a daily basis to improve the quality and strength of your nails.
  2. Take a fish oil supplement. Similar to biotin, fish oil is an omega-3 fatty acid that has shown to improve the strength of nails and hair, among other things. Fish oil can be taken one to two times daily, with results showing up within a few weeks. Visit your local health foods store to purchase a fish oil supplement.
  3. Wear gloves while cleaning and washing dishes. Rubber gloves might not be the most comfortable gloves in the world, but they do protect your nails from water and chemical exposure. Prolonged exposure to water will soften the nails, making them more likely to tear, while chemicals make nails flaky and brittle. Therefore, when you’re washing dishes or cleaning with chemicals, wear rubber gloves.
  4. Don’t use your nails as tools. Opening a tough package or tearing into a bag with your nails might be handy and time-saving, but doing this can cause splitting and tearing of the nail ends. This, of course, leads to breakage and prevents your nails from growing long. Therefore, whenever you’re able, use a real tool to open up things and avoid relying on your nails.[3]
  5. Wear warm gloves during cold weather. Cold temperatures and dry air in the winter months suck moisture from your nails, making them brittle and prone to chipping. To prevent this, wear gloves whenever you head outdoors. For a double bonus, put on a thick layer of lotion before slipping your hands into your gloves; the gloves will trap the moisture and cause it to absorb into your nails and skin faster than usual.

Dispelling Common Misconceptions

  1. Know that eating more protein does not strengthen your nails. Although it sounds like it should be effective, seeing as your nails are made of keratin (a protein), consuming more protein doesn’t affect the strength or length of your nails. Studies have shown that eating foods high in protein, although good for your body overall, does not correlate to the quality of your nails. Eat protein regularly, but know that it won’t make your nails grow stronger or longer.
  2. Know that garlic does not make your nails grow faster. An age-old myth, it has been said that rubbing garlic on your nails will speed their growth. The idea behind this is that garlic contains selenium, which weak nails lack. However, studies have found no link whatsoever to garlic consumption or rubbing garlic on your nails to stronger/faster growing nails. Rubbing garlic on your nails won’t have any detrimental side-effects, but it won’t improve your nails either.
  3. Know that moving your nails doesn’t make them stronger or longer. Some people claim that moving your fingers more increases the speed of nail growth, because it stimulates the nail. While the theory sounds good, it doesn’t actually pan out in practice. Moving your fingers more doesn’t speed up your nail growth or make your nails grow stronger.[4]

Tips

  • After fake nails come off, add hardening polish to harden real nails.
  • Fake nails, will help stop you from biting your nails, but they cause the real nail to become thinner.

Warnings

  • Biting your fingernails causes teeth problems.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://nails.allwomenstalk.com/tips-for-growing-long-nails-and-keeping-them/7/
  2. ↑ http://www.xojane.com/beauty/nine-inch-nails-grow-your-nails-long-and-strong
  3. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/07/grow-healthy-strong-nails_n_3714486.html
  4. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/beauty/nails/can-you-make-fingernails-grow-faster?page=1

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Grow_Long_Nails&oldid=277269"